More info for the terms:
competition,
forest,
rhizome,
treeTimber: Mountain misery greatly reduces survival and growth of
conifer seedlings [
20,
22,
23,
32]. The deep roots are strong competitors
for limited water resources. Tappeiner and Radosevich [
30] examined its
effect on ponderosa pine seedlings on a good site at the Blodgett
Research Station of El Dorado County. Treatments were: (1) untreated
mountain misery, (2) mountain misery sprayed with a
mixture of 2,4-D and 2,4,5-T prior to tree planting, and (3) mountain
misery eliminated by a combination of herbicides, clipping, and
grubbing to stop root and rhizome invasion. After 3 years, ponderosa
pine seedling survival was only 13 percent on untreated plots. Spraying
prior to planting resulted in 71 percent survival, and complete control
resulted in 97 percent survival of trees. After 19 years, tree heights
averaged 5.2 feet (1.6 m) with no treatment, 6.2 feet (1.9 m) with the
herbicide mixture, and 18.7 feet (5.7 m) with the combination of
treatments. When this loss is extended to 50 years, net wood production
would have been reduced an estimated 75 percent as a result of mountain
misery competition.
Control: Mountain misery is sensitive to intermediate in
response to foliar spraying of phenoxy herbicides and is susceptible to
such applications of dicamba and triclopyr [
5,
18]. Aerosol application
of triclopyr temporarily reduced mountain misery canopy volume by
94 to 96 percent on the Tahoe National Forest [
18]. Mountain
misery may sprout vigorously following herbicide treatment, and one
application probably will not provide adequate control. Plants may
actually be rejuvenated by a single treatment. Thorough site
preparation, which controls mountain misery before planting and
permits good establishment of conifer seedlings, followed by spraying of
mountain misery sprouts is recommended. Growth of conifer
seedlings and competing mountain misery should be evaluated for
at least 10 years after planting [
30]. Best results are obtained when
herbicides are applied in spring or early summer during the period of
new leaf initiation [
18]. Mountain misery can also be controlled
by grubbing.
Plywood, used as an unusual mulch for Douglas-fir (Pseudotsuga
menziesii) seedlings on a plantation in the central Sierra Nevada,
killed mountain misery beneath it and increased soil moisture
available to seedlings in midsummer [
22].
Control of mountain misery is problematic for forest managers.
Although it greatly inhibits growth of young conifers, it is of
considerable value as a slope stabilizer of watersheds and because it is
a host species for nitrogen-fixing bacteria [
32,
35]. Additionally,
Sampson and Jesperson [
29] thought that heavy black-tailed deer use on
some winter ranges should be taken into consideration when managing this
species.